Friends of South Orange Public Library Seek Funding

During the many months that South Orange has been under lockdown because of the COVID-19 crisis, the Library has served the community. A calendar full of programs for young and old and everyone in between has helped us keep our sanity. It enlightens and amuses. Now is the time for the community to provide our support, more critical now than ever.

The Friends of the South Orange Library stands ready to do what they have always done to support the Library's mission. But, this year there will be no Friends Book Sale, the Friends main fundraising event. In fact any traditional fundraising events are closed to us because of safety precautions. The one thing we can do from our homes is to donate.

There are a number of ways you can provide financial support: go to the Friends website -- friendsofsopl.org -- and click on donate; donate books to the Green Bin for Better World Books in the Library parking lot which helps spread literacy around the world as well as raising money for the Library; leave gently-used books (especially children’s books) in the Little Free Libraries around town; buy from AmazonSmile as we benefit from these purchases. Finally you can mail donations to Friends of SOPL, 65 Scotland Road, South Orange, NJ, 07079.

Memberships in the FSOPL start at $25. Please go to website to get details of levels of membership and to join. Different methods of payment are provided on the site.

Why donate? This is where your money has gone last year.

· $3,000 for new library books, including social justice titles, graphic novels, and travel guides

· $495 for library children’s programs in summer 2020

· $200 for the Library’s make-your-own button machine

· Maintain Four Little Free Libraries in South Orange: one outside Starbucks at the SO train station, one next to the tennis courts at the Baird, and two on Vose Avenue near Mountain station

· Provide museum passes for discounted admission to the Montclair Art Museum, the Morris Museum, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Intrepid, and other institutions; many t be closed now, but re-opening soon

· Provide library’s film series

Tonia Moore, President of the Friends, recently commented:

"South Orange loves its Library! In just two months, thanks to the generosity of the South Orange community, we are halfway to our $10,000 goal for the SOPL Friends 2020 Fundraising Campaign. The response has been wonderful! Your Library needs your support more than ever in these hard times."

If you have questions, please Kathie Abrams, Friends of SOPL Secretary, 973-378-9212.

The Friends of the South Orange Public Library is a 501c3 charitable organization. Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent provided by law.